I'm very inclined to ask if you can boil this "Cultural Appropriation" term down into something else more specific that is morally objectionable.
I would suggest you read the link, and the links in that link. It should answer your questions (& whether they are the right questions).
I did read the link, and the wikipedia page, though not every link within the article, and I stand by my observations. A whole lot of meandering about a topic without addressing it. It's a garbage article that didn't make an argument. I stand by what I said. If there's something morally objectionable, I think you'll find it in the particulars and not in the scope of the general concept.
The article discusses several issues faced by people of color, but only ties them back to appropriation when it reinforces a negative stereotype. This is fine for things like Native American costumes portraying them as primitive, but not for something like black hairstyles (at least not as presented). It gives a good explanation as to why negative views of black hairstyles are harmful to black people, but as far as I can tell never attempts to argue that these views are a result of appropriation.
But it does say that appropriating the hairstyles reinforces and perpetuates racism, that one should be cognizant of the cultural and historical context, and that it causes harm.
Goofus: "Please prove that having one's toes stepped on hurts. I think you're making a big deal over nothing."
Gallant: "I believe you when you say it hurts to have your toes stepped on. I will do my best not to step on your toes. Meanwhile, can I get you an advil?"
Skimming back through I missed the last paragraph of that section which tied it back in:
That’s just a snippet of the significance that hair has in my life – just part of why it’s not “just hair” for me when white folks get credit and positive attention for wearing traditionally Black hairstyles.
Yeah, I've never actually made it to the Brooklyn Botanical's cherry blossom festival. I go into the city with my daughter decently often in order to take her to cultural stuff. I started early on just to get a tradition going, and we've got an annual routine now, stuff like MoCCA fest, Children's International Film Festival, Maker Faire, etc., and I'd been eyeing the cherry blossom festival for a while. Never went because in the end it seemed like a giant anime convention, and I didn't want her thinking that's all Japan was. Maybe we'll go when she's older.
It's not just Japanese cultural festivals. Basically any event in New York that attracts Internet kids will have cosplay and weeb-play. It's insane. They treat any gathering of themselves like it's an anime con.
The Cherry Blossom Festival and its ilk are cosplay all over. And I'm not talking "wearing kimono inspired by a character," I'm talking "literally dressed as Naruto."
I no longer have any desire to play the progressive purity politics game. Been there, got the t-shirt. It's a game with a lot of arguing over rules and absolutely no winners. I'm just gonna try to be empathetic and not be a dick.
I no longer have any desire to play the progressive purity politics game. Been there, got the t-shirt. It's a game with a lot of arguing over rules and absolutely no winners. I'm just gonna try to be empathetic and not be a dick.
The very meaning of "progressive" implies being in a state of evolution (progress!). If you think you are a progressive who doesn't need to evolve further, you aren't a progressive.
The very meaning of "progressive" implies being in a state of evolution (progress!). If you think you are a progressive who doesn't need to evolve further, you aren't a progressive.
Once we reach the Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk utopia, we don't need to progress any further.
I'm pretty sure it's more of a rhetorical political term like "Democrat" or "Republican" or "Conservative" or "Liberal" where what the word means in common parlance is different from what a particular group has co-opted the term to mean, often distorting the message. Kinda like people stealing a cultures food or hairstyle and distorting it for gain at the detriment of the originating culture. We use great sounding words for our titles as if anyone would ever argue with them for the clever soundbites, like locally I see tons of billboards talking about "right to work" because that tag-line sounds great.
The very meaning of "progressive" implies being in a state of evolution (progress!). If you think you are a progressive who doesn't need to evolve further, you aren't a progressive.
Once we reach the Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk utopia, we don't need to progress any further.
GiTS was certainly not a utopia! The tech will be amazing, but the whole series has corruption/inequality/oppression as a major theme. Being the Major would be great, but try being the poor fucking garbage man who gets his memories rewritten. That doesn't sound very fun at all.
The very meaning of "progressive" implies being in a state of evolution (progress!). If you think you are a progressive who doesn't need to evolve further, you aren't a progressive.
Once we reach the Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk utopia, we don't need to progress any further.
GiTS was certainly not a utopia! The tech will be amazing, but the whole series has corruption/inequality/oppression as a major theme. Being the Major would be great, but try being the poor fucking garbage man who gets his memories rewritten. That doesn't sound very fun at all.
All cyberpunk dystopias are utopias for me. GitS, Neuromancer, Snow Crash, I'll take whatever I can get. If I had to choose I think I might actually take Diamond Age.
I'm pretty sure it's more of a rhetorical political term like "Democrat" or "Republican" or "Conservative" or "Liberal" where what the word means in common parlance is different from what a particular group has co-opted the term to mean, often distorting the message. Kinda like people stealing a cultures food or hairstyle and distorting it for gain at the detriment of the originating culture. We use great sounding words for our titles as if anyone would ever argue with them for the clever soundbites, like locally I see tons of billboards talking about "right to work" because that tag-line sounds great.
All cyberpunk dystopias are utopias for me. GitS, Neuromancer, Snow Crash, I'll take whatever I can get. If I had to choose I think I might actually take Diamond Age.
My cyberpunk utopia focuses on the plight of gold farmers in a world where economic ephemeralization has basically killed the blue collar job market.
The very meaning of "progressive" implies being in a state of evolution (progress!). If you think you are a progressive who doesn't need to evolve further, you aren't a progressive.
Once we reach the Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk utopia, we don't need to progress any further.
GiTS was certainly not a utopia! The tech will be amazing, but the whole series has corruption/inequality/oppression as a major theme. Being the Major would be great, but try being the poor fucking garbage man who gets his memories rewritten. That doesn't sound very fun at all.
All cyberpunk dystopias are utopias for me. GitS, Neuromancer, Snow Crash, I'll take whatever I can get. If I had to choose I think I might actually take Diamond Age.
Unless you get Ready Player One dystopia, that'd just be really annoying. I thought the sci-fi utopian end goal was being a gaseous form that becomes one with the universe.
I suppose all cyberpunk Dystopias seem like a utopia, if you assume you're going to be the hero of the story, and not just another one of the endless number of people suffering under corporate/governmental oppression.
Or I guess if you're a Libertarian, that works too.
I suppose all cyberpunk Dystopias seem like a utopia, if you assume you're going to be the hero of the story, and not just another one of the endless number of people suffering under corporate/governmental oppression.
Or I guess if you're a Libertarian, that works too.
You don't have to be the hero. You can be the villain too. As long as I get to upload my consciousness into cyberspace, or replace my biological body with a robot body, it's all good.
You replace your body with a robot body, then without warning your leg drivers stop driving neural impulses to your legs and you have to pay creds you don't have to get them working again. You try and get around it but it's airtight DRM. Only the protagonist can fix it. He's not you though, you're just legless.
You replace your body with a robot body, then without warning your leg drivers stop driving neural impulses to your legs and you have to pay creds you don't have to get them working again. You try and get around it but it's airtight DRM. Only the protagonist can fix it. He's not you though, you're just legless.
I was thinking more like Galaxy Express 999 where Queen Promethium gives me a free awesome immortal robot body with infinite maintenance. I'm not Tetsuro, I'm Count Mecha (Count Scotta).
When we hit post scarcity and we've started out into the universe we probably won't have too many of the fundamental people problems left to solve. We just can't fathom a system where that is the case with much fidelity; stories are simply layers of tech and social theory imposed over historical conflicts or concepts at least. While history repeats yadda yadda, reaching certain milestones might well break old paradigms.
So yeah I'd wager using the tech and our skills and being cool to each other could yield something close to utopic over time.
In the meantime I just try to not be a dick and not let things get to me and not judge people and hope for a future without limits on resources and power and so on.
Comments
Goofus:
"Please prove that having one's toes stepped on hurts. I think you're making a big deal over nothing."
Gallant:
"I believe you when you say it hurts to have your toes stepped on. I will do my best not to step on your toes. Meanwhile, can I get you an advil?"
Thought this was interesting. Considering I run an Anime Convention table at the Cherry Blossom festival in Philly.
The Cherry Blossom Festival and its ilk are cosplay all over. And I'm not talking "wearing kimono inspired by a character," I'm talking "literally dressed as Naruto."
Or I guess if you're a Libertarian, that works too.
So yeah I'd wager using the tech and our skills and being cool to each other could yield something close to utopic over time.
In the meantime I just try to not be a dick and not let things get to me and not judge people and hope for a future without limits on resources and power and so on.